Carey Carson Kucera, a woman of great faith who loved her family fiercely, died Thursday, Oct. 10, in Carroll, Iowa. She was 65.
A funeral Mass will be held Saturday, Oct. 19, at 10 a.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Fr. Timothy Johnson. Music will be by Kathy Halbur. Lector for the funeral Mass will be John Carson. Gift Bearers will be Judy and Dick Ruemmele. Interment will be at a later date.
Visitation will be held Friday, Oct. 18, from 5-7 p.m. at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll with a rosary said at 7 p.m.
Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Carey’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
A Cedar Rapids native, Carey Elizabeth was born to Jane and Gene (Pidge) Carson on July 18, 1959. She was the youngest of five siblings. The Carson home on the hill on C Avenue was full of love. It was a gathering place for aunts, uncles and cousins on the Miller side of the family. Carey had a special place in her heart for Julie Miller Schnoebelen, who was close in age and stayed close for a lifetime.
After graduating from LaSalle High School in 1977, Carey attended Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids. She graduated cum laude in 1981 with a degree in political science. She then interned at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The skills she learned there would aid her in another passion: genealogy, an activity she enjoyed with her aunt, Mary Margaret (Bud) Stewart.
Carey channeled her love of political affairs into civic engagement, joining the League of Women Voters, Daughters of the American Revolution, PEO and Junior League. She attended St. Elizabeth Ann Seton church in the Cedar Rapids area, which led to meeting the love of her life, Robert (Bob) Kucera.
Friends from the parish set them up on a blind date in 1995. They were married on June 7, 1996, at the church. According to Bob, it was love at first sight, with Carey telling him that she knew he was the “marrying kind” as soon as she saw him at the restaurant on that first date.
The couple moved to Carroll in 1998, making their home there since then. They enjoyed eating out, going to the movies, listening to audio books and following political affairs. The couple’s faith was at the core of their lives. Carey was a mighty prayer warrior on behalf of her family and friends. The couple were members of Holy Spirit parish.
Carey was also a proud feminist. “Women’s rights, that was number one on her mind,” her husband Bob remembers.
Health challenges were a reality through much of her life, making it difficult to travel. Carey did not let that interfere with her faith or her love of family. She energetically kept in touch with far-flung siblings, cousins and friends through frequent phone calls. She spoke with many once a week. She had great empathy for anyone else facing health challenges and made sure that extended family knew they had her support when crisis struck.
Carey was preceded in death by her parents and two siblings: Susan Carson Bach and Ann Carson Zirbel.
Carey is survived by her husband Bob Kucera of Carroll; she is also survived by two siblings: John Carson and his wife Hila; and Judy Carson Ruemmele and her husband Dick; two brothers-in-law: Kevin Kucera and Wayne Bach. She leaves behind eight nieces and nephews: Emily, Molly, Megan, Julia, Paul, Mike, Christine and Catherine. She had five great-nephews and great-nieces that she adored: Nolan, Theo, Mikko, Luna and Lillian.
In addition to flowers, donations may be made in Carey’s honor to the American Red Cross, an organization her mother held a national volunteer leadership position with, and that multiple other family members were involved with.
The world will be a quieter place without Carey’s chatty, loving phone calls. May her memory be a blessing to all who knew her.